Sunset
by Lithyka
Summary: The bigger you are, the harder you fall. Rodimus Prime, youngest bot to ever make it to the rank, is about to find out- the hard way.


Disclaimer: I do not own the Transformers!

Springer's line, "And I, and I will be your arrow," is borrowed from Aiuke from DeviantArt! Thanks again!

This serves as a prequel to an RPG between russianwinter and I, which may or may not be posted soon. Also, school starts in two days... slaggit...

Anyways, hope you like it, and leave me a lollipop/review!

* * *

"The Torment is changing course- quantum jump imminent! It could be dangerous to follow it, no, it would definitely be dangerous to follow it-"

"Cut the chatter and jump this crate. Now!"

Rodimus shielded his optics from the bright blue flash as the Trion, and its fleet of four other ships, followed the Torment in its quantum jump.

"Whoa," was the first thing he heard.

"Whoa," he echoed.

"Decepticons," gasped Red Alert.

They'd walked right into it.

They were surrounded by Decepticon battleships, from all corners of the galaxy, and it had all been because he'd taken a risk. But there was no point in dwelling on that thought. He had to make do with what he had.

"Can you jump us back?"

"No- one of the ships is jamming our frequency. How many slagging' ships are there anyways?"

"I can make out as least twenty," Rodimus replied. "Alright-"

"Ah, Hot Rod, isn't it?" came a voice over the loudspeakers planted all over the Trion.

Rodimus knew that voice too well. It was Steeljaw, the Decepticon he'd helped capture a few centuries ago.

"The name is Rodimus!" he hissed back.

"Rodimus. Rodimus Prime. How flattering, for such a lowly bot. Always knew you were such a stuck-up little glitch."

Rodimus growled, his anger flaring up inside him. The one thing he couldn't take was insults. Sure, they could beat him up, and he wouldn't even flinch. But calling him a 'stuck-up little glitch'?

"Go after him," he told Red Alert quietly.

"Heard that!" laughed Steeljaw. "What do you think you can do to me anyways? Melt my spark with your piteous sobbing?"

"Go after the Alchemor," Rodimus ordered again.

"This isn't wise," Red Alert replied.

"NOW!"

Red Alert stood her ground.

"Unless if this is some secret plan I don't understand, I-"

Rodimus shoved her aside and cranked up the speed himself, setting the Trion after the Alchemor, where Steeljaw was still taunting him, teasing him for his age and inexperience.

"I swear I will get you, if it's the last thing I do."

The Decepticon just laughed and sped away, Rodimus hot on his heels in pursuit. Red Alert stood back; this wasn't her forte. There was no stopping the young Prime when he was this enraged. She had to wait until they were outside the jamming frequency.

Rodimus stood at the wheel, furiously veering left and right, up and down. The Trion was smaller and faster than the Alchemor, but that prison ship was sure manoeuvrable. Steeljaw was an experienced helmsman, as his swerving and drifting (if that was even possible in space) dictated. Rodimus could still clearly remember how hard it had been to catch him last time.

"Oh come here, you-"

"Come and get me!"

Rodimus scowled, and set the speed even higher, rocketing out of the jammer zone.

Red Alert had been monitoring the back window. The other four ships had all been shot down- or blown up, in the case of the Lost Light, and captured, in the case of the Ark. The Decepticon fleet was now hovering around, waiting. She noticed three battlecruisers- the Torment, Triage, and Thunderclap- break away from the group, and race after them.

Her first instinct was to tell Rodimus, but stopped. He'd probably be even more enraged if-

The quantum jump light.

It was flashing green.

The jammer was gone.

Red Alert silently set the coordinates to Cybertron, knowing she didn't have long. The Torment was closing in, fast, and she knew whoever was behind the wheel wouldn't hesitate to fire and end the Trion.

As its cannon fired, she hit the button, and jumped them to Cybertron.

Rodimus, at the wheel, found himself blinded by a brilliant blue light as the Trion unexpectedly quantum jumped.

"What the-"

Cybertron. He had crash-landed on Cybertron.

And what was worse, the Alchemor had gotten away.

He turned, annoyed at Red Alert. It had to be her. His first mate had been shot a while ago, and the ship had been damaged- the section the rest of the crew had been in had been blasted clean off.

"Red Alert!"

His anger washed away in nanoseconds at the sight of his medic. She lay sprawled on the ground, smoke rising from a gaping hole in her back where she's been hit by a blast from another battlecruiser.

What was worse, she had saved him, giving her own life in the process.

And it was all his fault.

Rodimus finally turned, and looked out the window.

If he'd thought losing Red Alert was bad, this was a million times worse. Why did the ship have to crash in the middle of Iacon? A crowd was gathering, and right at the front stood Sentinel Prime, and…

Ultra Magnus himself.

* * *

"All units have been lost or captured…"

Rodimus hung his helm as Ultra Magnus read out his mission report. It wouldn't have been so had if it weren't for Alpha Trion, Sentinel and Longarm Prime, and probably half of Cybertron on their television sets, staring at him like he was a captured Decepticon.

Time seemed to drag on forever as the Magnus's voice carried on, and the invisible camera drones filmed the room from all angles. A particularly irritating one insisted on buzzing around, attempting to get a shot of his face. Rodimus didn't move. The last thing he needed was for the whole planet to think he was insane as well as irresponsible and hot-tempered.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" asked Ultra Magnus, as the torturous report finally came to an end.

"No, Sir," he replied, bringing himself to look up. The camera drone sent live footage to the television channels, much to his annoyance.

"In that case- I hereby revoke your rank of Prime and expel you from this hall. You leave immediately."

"Yes, Sir."

Rodimus spun around and walked down the aisle, turning his back on his once bright hopes for his future.

* * *

Rodimus turned the key and entered the small house he once occupied.

"Hey, Roddy!" called a happy voice from inside the house.

The ex-Elite Guard agent walked into the room, keeping his optics down and away from his friend.

"Hi, Springer," he replied, less enthusiastically.

The green and yellow mech stared at him from his spot on the couch.

"I know this has hit you hard, Roddy."

Rodimus just sighed and locked the door, before slumping down on the couch. Springer slid over to sit beside him, and wrapped an arm around him.

That touch.

That touch, that Rodimus had left behind to train for…

He couldn't think about it. He couldn't bear the thoughts that it brought up. He couldn't think about the massacre he'd caused.

"Springer…"

Springer held the smaller mech tighter as his frame trembled slightly, and something sounding like a cross between a cough and a sob escaped his vocaliser.

"Aww, Roddy. You can cry in front of me."

At his prompting, Rodimus completely lost control of his emotions- fury, self-hate, sadness and fear- and fell into his friend's arms, crying for the life he'd been forced to give up.

"That's it, Roddy, let it out."

All because of his crazy, fragged-up personality.

"You'll feel better soon."

No. No, he would not feel better soon. He would never feel better after _that._

"It's all my fault," he mumbled, breaking into a fresh wave of tears in Springer's strong arms.

"Hush, Roddy… no, it's not your fault."

"YES IT IS! GIVE ME ONE REASON HOW THAT WAS NOT ENTIRELY MY FRAGGIN' FAULT!"

Springer nuzzled his neck cables.

"Because you're beautiful?"

Rodimus froze mid-sob, and gaped open-mouthed at the older mech.

"But- all those… all those-"

"It's okay, Roddy."

The ex-Prime wrapped his arms around him, burying his helm in his chest.

"I can't believe I lost control," he told Springer once he finally pulled away. "It was my first time as commander of a tracking mission! How could I have… have…"

Springer rubbed his back as his shoulders shook, signalling that he was about to burst into tears again.

"It's alright, Roddy. I'll help you feel better."

"How?"

"Hmm… well, how about some shooting practice?"

Rodimus looked up and met his amused, yet intense, gaze.

"You'll be my bow," he began, and Rodimus nearly passed out in surprise.

"And I, and I will be your arrow."

Rodimus offered a slight smile, and leant into his touch. The older mech pulled him up onto his frame, so that he was lying on top of the larger mech, their hips grinding together.

Springer reached up and nuzzled his neck cables.

* * *

Rodimus closed the door behind him and stepped into the front yard, his thoughts drifting to a time long ago, where everything had seemed so easy. He'd advanced through the ranks like a rocket through space, although he wasn't aware at the time, and found himself facing new challenges every single time, and tackling them with enthusiasm and ease.

That had been his sunrise.

And his pride had been his downfall.

He had been overconfident in his fleet, risking that quantum jump. And he'd let his temper slip, resulting in that tragedy.

His future had seemed so close, and now it was far behind him.

But he'd taken wisdom and knowledge from it.

Rodimus turned and walked into the sunset.

His sunset.


End file.
